June 2016
Recent Development   

Supreme Court Issues Major IP Decision in June: Changes Standard to Obtain Enhanced Damages for Patent Infringement
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
 
On June 13, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Halo Electronics, Inc. v. Pulse Electronics, Inc., No. 14-1513 (Slip Opinion). It rejected the framework established by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in In re Seagate Technology, LLC, 497 F.3d 1360, for determining whether to award enhanced damages for willful patent infringement under 35 USC Section 284 of the Patent Act.
 
In re Seagate had a two-part test: 1) a showing by clear and convincing evidence that the infringer acted despite an objectively high likelihood that its actions constituted infringement of a valid patent; and 2) also demonstrating by clear and convincing evidence that the risk of infringement was either known or so obvious that it should have been known to the accused infringer.
USPTO

Utility patents issued in the month of May:
 
None reported
 
Patent applications published in the month of May:
 
Pub. App. No.   Title                                                                                 Applicant  
20160144266    Harness and Snowshoe Frame                           Louis Garneau Sports Inc.
20160143569    System, Improve Infant Feet Blood Sample & Booty        Santos Rodriguez; et al.
20160143396    Lacing System With Guide Elements                                            NIKE, Inc.
20160143395    Upper with Sensory Feedback                                                     NIKE, Inc.
20160143393    Orthotic Insole for a Woman's Shoe                  Marion Parke Designs, LLC
20160143391    Sole Structures & Footwear w/ Lightweight Midsole                     NIKE, Inc.
20160143390    Article of Footwear with Rod Support System                               NIKE, Inc.
20160143387    Exercise Shoe                                                                    Lazaro Alfonso
20160143386    Protective Shoe Cover                                                               Larry Cone
20160136869    Methods of Vacuum Forming Articles of Wear                               adidas AG
20160135544    Multilayered Materials with Color Changing Properties                   adidas AG
20160135543    Upper for an Article of Footwear                                                 NIKE, Inc.
20160135542    Boots with External Heel Counters                        Ariat International, Inc.
20160135541    Sole Arrangement w/Ground-Engaging Member Support               NIKE, Inc.
20160135540    Outsole with Grip Reduction Extension Members                          NIKE, Inc.
20160135539    Impact Absorbing Shoe                                                   Zora S. Gill; et al.
20160135538    Article of Footwear with Ribbed Footbed                                      NIKE, Inc.
20160135537    Customized Footwear, Systems & Methods       New Balance Athletics, Inc.
20160135536    Decorated Sole Elements for Footwear & Processes                       NIKE, Inc.
20160128430    Shoe Toe Cap                                                                Larissa Leal Duke
20160128429    Easy Access Articles of Footwear                                                 NIKE, Inc.
20160128428    Shoe Upper and Method for Producing Shoe Upper     Shima Seiki Mfg., Ltd.
20160128427    Antimicrobial Adhesive Footwear Insert                               Judith Meghani
20160128426    Soles for Sports Shoes                                                               adidas AG
20160128424    Footwear w/ Sole Assembly w/ Bladder & Guide                           NIKE, Inc.
20160128423    Sole Member of Footwear                                               HIMIKO CO., LTD.
20160128422    Therapeutic Shoe Insert                                                     NystAssist, LLC
20160128421    Sport Shoe Innerboot                                            Rossignol Lange S.R.L.
20160128420    Wearable Waterproof Shoe Cover                           Daniela Troconis; et al.
20160128419    Shoe with Tracking Device                                         Sherrie Ann Sanders
20160120733    Garment System w/ Sensor & Responsive Actuator                      Elwha LLC
20160120266    Means of Securing Shoe Studs by Using Inertia                  Ying-Chun Huan
20160120265    Article of Footwear with Adjustable Cleat Member                        NIKE, Inc.
20160120264    Strap Securing System for Footwear & Other Devices                   NIKE, Inc.
20160120263    Footwear w/ Midsole Assembly w/ Perimeter Bladder                    NIKE, Inc.
20160120261    Self-Ventilating Shoe                                                       Maria Nakamura
20160120260    Article Of Footwear and Method for Forming Article               ECCO SKO A/S
20160120259    Riding Boots                                                                      Acavallo S.R.L.


Design patents issued in the month of May:
 
Pat. No.             Title                                                                                        Assignee
D757,419        Footwear                                                                        Sorel Corporation
D757,418        Footwear                                                                        Sorel Corporation
D757,417        Footwear                                                                        Sorel Corporation
D757,416        Shoe Upper                                                                          361 USA, INC.
D757,415        Footwear                                                                        Sorel Corporation
D757,414        Golf Shoe Upper                                                           Acushnet Company
D757,413        Golf Shoe Upper                                                           Acushnet Company
D757,412        Footwear Sole                                                          Cabela's Incorporated
D757,411        Shoe with Decorative Sole                                                   LSIL & Co., Inc.
D757,410        Shoe with Decorative Sole                                                   LSIL & Co., Inc.
D757,409        Hole-Patterned Motif                                                   Wolff Shoe Company
D757,408        Shoe                                                                                                  None
D757,407        Single-Sole Shoe with Red Stripe and Red Sole               Gavrieli Brands LLC
D757,406        Zipper Boot                                                                                        None
D757,405        Footwear Upper                                            Deckers Outdoor Corporation
D757,404        Shoe with Shoe Cover                                                                          None
D756,622        Article of Footwear                                                        Under Armour, Inc.
D756,621        Golf Shoe Upper                                                           Acushnet Company
D756,620        Shoe Sole                                                                            Cole Haan LLC
D756,619        Footwear Sole                                                       Ariat International, Inc.
D756,618        Sole for a Slip-On Marching Band Shoe                                  Man-How, Inc.
D756,617        Golf Shoe Outsole                                                         Acushnet Company
D756,616        Fashion Accessory                                                                               None
D756,615        Footwear                                                                            J. Choo Limited
D756,614        Golf Shoe                                                                     Acushnet Company
D756,103        Accessory Cinching Line for Footwear                                                    None
D756,102        Footwear                                                  Columbia Sportswear N.A., Inc.
D756,101        Footwear                                                                        Sorel Corporation
D756,100        Footwear                                                                        Sorel Corporation
D756,099        Footwear                                                  Columbia Sportswear N.A., Inc.
D756,098        Footwear Upper                                            Deckers Outdoor Corporation
D756,097        Footwear                                                  Columbia Sportswear N.A., Inc.
D756,096        Shoe Sole                                                      Aerogroup Int. Holdings LLC
D756,095        Footwear Sole Component                                Wolverine World Wide, Inc.
D756,094        Shoe Sole                                                       New Balance Athletics, Inc.
D756,093        Footwear Sole                                                 Wolverine World Wide, Inc.
D756,092        Footwear                                                  Columbia Sportswear N.A., Inc.
D756,091        Shoe with Decorative Sole                                                   LSIL & Co., Inc.
D756,090        Shoe with Decorative Sole                                                   LSIL & Co., Inc.
D756,089        Shoe with Decorative Sole                                                   LSIL & Co., Inc.
D756,088        Shoe with Decorative Sole                                                   LSIL & Co., Inc.
D756,087        Green Sole Assembly for Single-Sole Shoe                      Gavrieli Brands LLC
D756,086        Sole                                                                                     ECCO Sko A/S
D756,085        Footwear                                                  Columbia Sportswear N.A., Inc.
D756,084        Single-Sole Shoe w/ Blue Stripe, Sole, & Upper               Gavrieli Brands LLC
D756,083        Single-Sole Shoe with Red Sole                                     Gavrieli Brands LLC
D756,082        Single-Sole Shoe with Green Sole                                  Gavrieli Brands LLC
D756,081        Single-Sole Shoe with Purple Sole                                  Gavrieli Brands LLC
D756,080        Shoe                                                                            Yves Saint Laurent
D756,079        Footwear                                                  Columbia Sportswear N.A., Inc.
D756,078        Footwear Upper                                            Deckers Outdoor Corporation
D756,077        Sandal                                                                                               None
D756,076        Insulated Cold Boot                                                                             None
D755,661        Jewelry Article                                                                                    None
D755,499        Pair of Socks                                                                   Interloop Limited
D755,498        Pantyhose with Reinforced Opening                                                      None
D755,497        Shape Retaining Device for Shoe               Yoshikawakuni Plastics Co., Ltd.
D755,496        Golf Shoe                                                 Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
D755,495        Footwear Upper                                            Deckers Outdoor Corporation
D755,494        Footwear Upper                                            Deckers Outdoor Corporation
D755,493        Mountain Sport Equipment                                                     GRIVEL S.R.L.
D755,492        Shoe Sole                                                      Aerogroup Int. Holdings LLC
D755,491        Footwear Sole                                                 Wolverine World Wide, Inc.
D755,490        Footwear Sole                                                 Wolverine World Wide, Inc.
D755,489        Shoe Outsole Bottom                                              Skechers U.S.A., Inc. II
D755,488        Single Sole Shoe with Stripe, Sole, and Contrasting Upper      Gavrieli Brands LLC
D755,487        Single-Sole Shoe w/ Stripe, Sole, Midsole and Upper       Gavrieli Brands LLC
D755,486        Single-Sole Shoe with Stripe, Sole, and Contrasting Upper      Gavrieli Brands LLC
D755,484        Sandal                                                                                     Edkami Inc.
D754,961        Shape Retaining Device for Shoe               Yoshikawakuni Plastics Co., Ltd.
D754,960        Lace Band for Footwear                                    Wolverine World Wide, Inc.
D754,959        Footwear                                                                        Sorel Corporation
D754,958        Golf Shoe                                                 Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.
D754,957        Footwear                                                                        Sorel Corporation
D754,956        Footwear                                                  Columbia Sportswear N.A., Inc.
D754,955        Shoe                                                                                     BALENCIAGA
D754,954        Footwear                                                                        Sorel Corporation
D754,953        Exercise Sock                                                                                      None
D754,952        Leg Sleeve                                                                                          None

Litigation gavel

In re Montfort Services Sdn. Bhd. , 2016 TTAB LEXIS 170 (T.T.A.B. May 9, 2016). Synopsis: The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board affirms the Examining Attorney's refusal to register Montfort Services' OSKALILY trademark in connection with footwear, shoes, and other clothing items, finding that the mark is likely to cause confusion with the prior registration for OSKA in connection with various outer clothing items.

In re Crocs, Inc. , 2016 TTAB LEXIS 169 (T.T.A.B. May 3, 2016). Synopsis: The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board affirms the Examining Attorney's refusal to register Croc's FIND YOUR FUN trademark in connection with on-line retail store services featuring footwear, shoe ornaments, and other goods, finding that the mark is likely to cause confusion with the prior registration for FIND YOUR FUN! in connection with advertising, marketing, and promotion services for others.
General News Newspaper

Adidas Files Another Suit Against Skechers For Patent Infringement
Footwear News
July 11, 2016
Adidas is taking Skechers USA Inc. to court again.

The popular Germany-based athletic brand says Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based Skechers has become a repeat offender for ripping off its sneaker designs.

RELATED Adidas Originals Debuts Gilded Stan Smith And Rod Laver Silhouettes 
In a lawsuit filed Monday in federal district court in Portland, Ore., Adidas alleges that Skechers copied its Springblade technology - introduced in June 2013 - to create a similar technology, the Mega Flex.
New Balance Loses Appeal Over Copyright Violation in China but Sees Damages Slashed
South China Morning Post
June 24, 2016
Vivian Lin
 
Mainland businessman who first registered the Chinese-language name sees compensation drop from 98m yuan to 5m yuan
 
American sportswear manufacturer New Balance has lost its trademark infringement appeal in a Chinese court, but has been ordered to pay a much lower level of compensation to the plaintiff.
 
The Guangdong Higher People's Court upheld the earlier ruling that the company's Chinese trademark had infringed the rights of a mainland businessman, who had registered it to sell shoes, Xinhua reported on Thursday. But the court lowered the amount of compensation.

Click here to read the full article.
 
 
Aquazzura Sues Steve Madden Over "Predatory" Copies
The Fashion Law
June 24, 2016
 
Florence-based footwear brand Aquazzura is on a bit of a litigation spree. After filing suit against Ivanka Trump and Marc Fisher earlier this week, the fashion industry favorite has filed suit against Steve Madden for copying a number of its most popular footwear designs. According to Aquazzura's complaint, which was filed on Thursday in the Southern District of New York, a federal court in Manhattan, notorious copycat Steve Madden has replicated at least four of its best-selling styles and is "intentionally targeting and seeking to sell the Infringing Shoes to Plaintiff's customers and potential customers who are familiar with the well-known trade dress of Plaintiff's Aquazzura Shoes.  
The case is AQUAZZURA ITALIA SRL v. STEVE MADDEN LIMITED, 1:16-CV-04905.  
 
 
Converse Wins Broad ITC Ban on Chuck Taylor Look-Alikes
Law 360
June 23, 2016
Kevin Penton
 
The U.S. International Trade Commission on Thursday issued a broad general exclusion order barring all shoes from entering the U.S. that infringe on two trademarks for the iconic Converse Chuck Taylor, following high-profile claims by the sneaker company that Wal-Mart, Sketchers and New Balance were selling look-alike shoes.
 
The commission adopted some of the findings issued by an administrative law judge in November, specificallly that Converse holds two valid trademarks on the outsole layout of the famous canvas sneaker. However, the ITC struck down one Converse trademark that covered the midsole of the show as invalid. It was that mark that Walmart, Sketchers, and New-Balance were accused of infringing.
 

Nike Victorious in Trade Secret Dispute with Former Contractor
The Fashion Law
June 14, 2016
 
Nike has convinced a federal judge in Portland, Oregon to force a former contractor to sign a settlement agreement ending a trade secrets theft dispute between the two parties. According to Nike's complaint, which was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon in 2014, it enlisted Enter Play Sports Inc. ("EPS"), a lace-braiding company, to build samples of a shoe consisting of a 3-D braided "upper." EPS and NIKE entered into a non-disclosure agreement in December 2012, which Nike alleges that EPS subsequently breached when it filed patent applications containing confidential information obtained during the parties' relationship.
 
* The case is   Nike Inc. v. Enter Play Sports Inc., No. 14-cv-1104, 2016 WL 3067439 (D. Ore. May 31, 2016) .


Cambrelle Claims Victory Over China-Based Counterfeiters
Footwear News
May 10, 2016
Sheena Butler-Young
 
Camtex Fabrics Ltd., the U.K.-based manufacturer of Cambrelle, a nonwoven synthetic fabric used as a lining for footwear, says it has emerged victorious following a two-year trademark infringement battle in China.
 
The company said that the Zhejiang Province Rui-an City People's Court in China determined that Wenzhou Superteng Nonwoven Technology Co. Ltd, a China-based manufacturer of a nylon spunbond nonwoven fabric, infringed upon its trademark footwear lining.
 
Camtex said that the court had previously confiscated 6.2 tons of imitation piqué fabric along with an embossing roll that had enabled Wenzhou Superteng to copy Cambrelle's design. The court passed its original judgment, in favor of Camtex, in December 2015, but Wenzhou Superteng had appealed that ruling, according to a statement from Camtex.

Click here to read the full article.
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